The Responsibility of the Catholic Citizen in a Free Society

This essay, written by St. Brigid 8th grader Robert Bossong, was the winner of this year's Knights of Columbus Essay Contest.

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A Catholic citizen has many responsibilities, but first, let’s think of the definition of each word. The word Catholic means universal. Citizens are individuals who follow the law. A free society is a government set up to help its citizens reach their full potential. We should all be thankful that we are able to practice our own faith and that we can stand up for our religion and speak up about it. Catholics should be thankful to God that we were given an opportunity to live in a free society.

Living as a good Catholic citizen in a free society can be challenging. For one, we have some major responsibilities.

Being a Catholic citizen means being a role model. An excellent example of role models are the Knights of Columbus. These faithful people strive to bring Christ’s message through their actions.

Catholics are expected to attend mass on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation to worship God. They also must receive communion as often as possible. The Holy Eucharist helps us grow closer to God.

Another important responsibility of a Catholic citizen is to donate your own time and money to the church and the homeless, regardless how old you are. For an example, you can volunteer for nonprofit organizations, such as soup kitchens, food pantries, and homeless shelters.

God tells us exactly what he expects from us. In Matthew 25: 34-40 and the Book of Tobit he gives us the Corporal Works of Mercy:

1. To feed the hungry.
2. To give drink to the thirsty.
3. To clothe the naked.
4. To harbor the harborless.
5. To visit the sick.
6. To visit the imprisoned.
7. To bury the dead.

These are the crucial rules for Catholics to adhere to.

As a young Catholic, I have been able to fulfill this challenge in number of ways. Since I was in third grade I have been an altar server. I play the violin for my school’s student mass and for the annual Christmas Eve family mass. I have visited the elderly at a nursing home on many occasions. I also volunteer for Partners for World Health, a nonprofit organization that provides medical care for third world countries.

Once again, Catholic citizens have numerous responsibilities. We should pray to God daily so that He can help us fulfill our Christian duties. Thank goodness that in our free society we are given a chance to fulfill this challenge.